Just like most people wouldn't know what's safe to mess with in your computer and what's not, I don't understand how a little girl can pal around with a leopard or a cheetah and not get clawed in the eye and eaten.

doctorwormwood:hate to break it to ya but these are staged photo shoots.. This kid is no Jungle Book.. shes the daughter of a couple rich french photographers who went to Africa

Oh snap. You ruined it for me. I thought it was a vagabond runaway white girl who found herself in Africa had to make it on her own in the jungle. And then photographers showed up at just the right moment.

Seriously, "staged" or not, you can't just climb up an elephant's forehead and ride on its back unless you have a pretty good rapport with the elephant. Pretty remarkable no matter how you try to explain away its remarkableness.

Christian Bale:doctorwormwood: hate to break it to ya but these are staged photo shoots.. This kid is no Jungle Book.. shes the daughter of a couple rich french photographers who went to Africa

Oh snap. You ruined it for me. I thought it was a vagabond runaway white girl who found herself in Africa had to make it on her own in the jungle. And then photographers showed up at just the right moment.

Seriously, "staged" or not, you can't just climb up an elephant's forehead and ride on its back unless you have a pretty good rapport with the elephant. Pretty remarkable no matter how you try to explain away its remarkableness.

I've spent a total of three years in Namibia and seen a lot of semi-domesticated animals in that time. Usually they are taken by humans when they are young and become quite manageable although that often changes when they reach maturity. I've had cheetahs drink water from my hands, had a meercat fall asleep in my hands and petted a oryx (who later gored someone when she matured) so I can believe most of the photos were real but staged. I also have trouble believing the croc photo and don't know of any leopards that could be trusted near a child but I suppose it might be possible.

There is also a semi-tame hippo in South Africa who fell asleep with her head on my feet see www.jessicahippo.com

nytmare:doctorwormwood: This kid is no Jungle Book.. shes the daughter of a couple rich french photographers who went to Africa

No, not a Jungle Book. But Tippi's family lived in the wilds of Namibia for 10 years before moving on to Madagascar, then France, and got along especially well with the wild animals and the tribesmen.

My favourite quote from her in TFA is this one:The little girl saw nothing unusual about her company: "I don't have friends here. Because I never see children. So the animals are my friends," she once said.And then how there are some darling pictures of her being decorated and taught to hunt by San folks. Presumably she was young and innocent and didn't actually consider the San inhuman, like many other white folks (and, to be fair, a good number of black folks too) in Namibia did and do, but it looks awkward. I wonder what the San in those pictures think about her riding elephants and cuddling with cheetah cubs.

tuckeg:I've spent a total of three years in Namibia and seen a lot of semi-domesticated animals in that time. Usually they are taken by humans when they are young and become quite manageable although that often changes when they reach maturity. I've had cheetahs drink water from my hands, had a meercat fall asleep in my hands and petted a oryx (who later gored someone when she matured) so I can believe most of the photos were real but staged. I also have trouble believing the croc photo and don't know of any leopards that could be trusted near a child but I suppose it might be possible.

There is also a semi-tame hippo in South Africa who fell asleep with her head on my feet see www.jessicahippo.com

lemonysprite:tuckeg: I've spent a total of three years in Namibia and seen a lot of semi-domesticated animals in that time. Usually they are taken by humans when they are young and become quite manageable although that often changes when they reach maturity. I've had cheetahs drink water from my hands, had a meercat fall asleep in my hands and petted a oryx (who later gored someone when she matured) so I can believe most of the photos were real but staged. I also have trouble believing the croc photo and don't know of any leopards that could be trusted near a child but I suppose it might be possible.

There is also a semi-tame hippo in South Africa who fell asleep with her head on my feet see www.jessicahippo.com

Le monde selon Tippi 1997http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8zZ_NGRoJoThe animals do seem to enjoy her company (elephant and the leopard being her favorites). If i remember correctly, at one point a reporter tells her that he'd be afraid hang out with the leopard like that and she tells him not to carry a knife for one thing.. Very opinionated kid.

tuckeg:lemonysprite: tuckeg: I've spent a total of three years in Namibia and seen a lot of semi-domesticated animals in that time. Usually they are taken by humans when they are young and become quite manageable although that often changes when they reach maturity. I've had cheetahs drink water from my hands, had a meercat fall asleep in my hands and petted a oryx (who later gored someone when she matured) so I can believe most of the photos were real but staged. I also have trouble believing the croc photo and don't know of any leopards that could be trusted near a child but I suppose it might be possible.

There is also a semi-tame hippo in South Africa who fell asleep with her head on my feet see www.jessicahippo.com

What croc photo?

Sorry, it's on the Snoopes site http://message.snopes.com/showthread.php?t=68043